


Building Blocks

by KirstieJ



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Conversations, Fluff, M/M, literally all it is is FLUFF
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-29
Updated: 2016-07-29
Packaged: 2018-07-27 10:57:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7615339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KirstieJ/pseuds/KirstieJ
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack has something he'd like to ask Bitty, but his boyfriend makes the conversation slightly more difficult than anticipated. Still, no matter what route they took, Jack gets to speak his mind and Bitty is very glad for that. </p><p>basically just a fluffy conversation between these two lovebirds pertaining to their future</p>
            </blockquote>





	Building Blocks

Holding out his hand, Jack watches Bitty as he blows on his crème brûlée latte, then takes Jack’s gloved hand in his own. They take a few steps before Bitty decides he would rather link arms than hold hands, but Jack doesn’t mind.

“So… our anniversary is coming up.”

“Jack, it’s over two months away,” Bitty says, glancing up at him as he blows on his drink again.

“That is in the not-so-distant future,” Jack insists, looking down.

“I guess,” Bitty shrugs his shoulders. “Why do you mention it, anyway?”

“It’s been on my mind. I’m thinking of what I might get you,” Jack tells him.

“Isn’t it supposed to be a surprise?” Bitty asks, lips quirking up in a playful smile.

“Well, yes.. But I thought I might run a couple ideas by you. I don’t want to get something you won’t like.”

“Honey, you know you could never get me a gift I wouldn’t appreciate.”

“What if I got you socks?”

Bitty pauses for a beat, thinking on it. “What quality are we talking here?”

“You’re telling me if I got you high-quality socks for our anniversary you would be okay with that?” Jack stares at him, hard.

“My feet freeze here in your frigid Canadian winters. Hell, I can barley feel my toes right now.” Jack just sighs and Bitty laughs a little.

“Okay, if _all_ you got me was socks I might be a little miffed. Obviously, you know that socks don’t quite cut it. What are you worrying about?”  

Jack takes in a deep breath. The conversation has already drifted far from what he imagined it would be, which, to be fair, is often the case. He still has plenty of time to get it back to where he wants it, though. He just has to transition well, find an in and take it.

“I’m not worrying,” Jack says. “I just have some ideas that I’m excited about and I want to share them with you.”

“Mmh. But, honey, that still leaves the problem of ruining the surprise,” Bitty points out. He’s just not making it easy on Jack today, is he?

“Fair point. I could just run my ideas by you and then not give them to you as an anniversary present, but at another time instead, perhaps?” Jack looks down again, at the red tip of his boyfriend’s nose scrunching. Jack would guess, by the position of the latte, Bitty’s considering taking a sip but likely thinks it might still be too hot. Bitty is careful about burning his mouth, though, so he ends up blowing on the latte once again and lowering it.

Bitty glances up at Jack, perking up an eyebrow. “Okay, okay. Shoot. What is it you’re thinking of getting me?”

Jack wets his lips, swallowing. “Well.. I was thinking, maybe, jewelry.”

“Jewelry?” Bitty smiles, albeit bemusedly. “I don’t wear a ton of that stuff, y’know.”

“I know. I was thinking, maybe,” Jack repeats, “along the lines of a ring…” he trails off, glancing away as he gently tugs Bitty toward the snow-covered gate of a park they frequent. Bitty follows his movement, turning ever so slightly to enter with him.

“A ring, huh? Yeah, I don’t mind rings, they’re nice. Do you want my ring size, is that what this is about?”

Jack gives a light laugh, “No, though I may need it, now that you mention it. If I get you a ring,” _when_ , Jack thinks to himself, “I’ll have to find that out.”

“Mmkay,” Bitty says, finally taking a chance at sipping his latte. He hums pleasantly.

“I was thinking a ring, perhaps…” Jack goes on, looking up to a snow-covered tree beside him. He breathes in through his nose, then looks over at Bitty again. Bitty turns his gaze upwards with question on his features, an invitation for Jack to continue.

“Perhaps I could give you a ring, or, I could give you my last name?” Jack finally says it, heart beating in his chest. He can hardly breathe now that the words linger between them. He keeps his focus on Bitty, no matter how much he wants to flee, waiting for a response.

Bitty’s face changes slowly. First, the go to further confusion. Then, realization creeps up, subtle, and then he’s smiling again. His cheeks are red. But, were they not red anyway, due to the cold? Jack isn’t sure, but at least the smile is a good sign, right?

“Or, uh, if you were thinking of something to get me, you could always give me your last name instead,” Jack stumbles on, taking in a shaky breath. Bitty’s laughter lights up his eyes and he squeezes Jack’s arm where he’s hanging off of it.

“Are you proposing to me right now?” Bitty’s eyes are excited and his voice is full of warmth, hope. Jack swallows again.

“U-um, not exactly. I mean. I want to propose to you, and I know you do like surprises, but I didn’t want to spring it on you without making sure we were both ready to be engaged, you know?”

Bitty laughs again, “Jack Zimmermann. You are the sweetest man I have ever met.” Bitty slows them down and comes to a stop near a bench, pulling them to the side of it. He takes Jack’s hand in his free one as Jack starts to speak.

“I know we’ve both mentioned we would want to get married, eventually. But our lives are so busy, and a wedding is a huge thing to plan, and I’d rather not be one of those couples who are engaged for years, unless you’d be okay with that-“ Bitty moves his hand to Jack’s shoulder and lifts himself up. Jack automatically leans down to meet him in a kiss.

“I would love to get engaged soon, Jack,” Bitty tells him when they pull away.

“Okay,” Jack breathes. He takes another deep breath, nodding. “I will buy you a ring, for when I actually propose. And it won’t be on our anniversary,” Jack tells him. “That whole part of the conversation was actually just to segue into the engagement business, anyway. I do have an idea of what I’d like to get you for our anniversary, too, but I’m not really going to tell you.”

Bitty laughs again and kisses him. “I love you so much, Jack.” Jack loops his arms around Bitty’s waist and kisses him again.

“Je t’aime aussi,” he murmurs.

“So, you’d be willing to take my last name? Even though yours is sort of legendary?” Bitty asks as he pulls away and makes to hook his arm in Jack’s again so they can continue on their walk.

“If you wanted me to,” Jack tells him, moving alongside of him. “Papa may be a bit disappointed. It would be strange not being a Zimmermann, but… I would, at the very least, like to share the same last name as you, whether it be my family’s or yours.”

“Hmmm. I think Coach would be disappointed if I changed my last name, too, but I also think he’d be okay with me being a Zimmermann thanks to the whole legacy thing. He’d probably question the hell outta your reasons for becoming a Bittle,” Bitty laughs at the thought. “Do you think being Zimmermanns would be too much pressure for our kids?” Bitty asks, face twisted.

“It was an awful lot of pressure for me,” Jack wears a similar expression. “But, I did survive it. And any children of ours would likely get similar amounts of attention regardless of their last names. Hell, we might get even more attention if I take your last name. I’m sure most people would be expecting you to take mine.”

“That is definitely true, nobody would see if coming if you took my last name,” Bitty laughs yet again. Jack Bittle. It’s so unassuming. Eric Zimmermann. Bitty likes the sound of it. “My nickname would make even less sense than it does now, if I took your last name.”

“Your nickname works no matter what, because you’re short.”

“I am not short! Having abnormally tall friends does not make me short.”

“Relatively speaking it does exactly that,” Jack points out and Bitty sticks his tongue out at him before taking a long sip of latte.

“Well, whatever. I like Zimmermann, but it’s so long it sort of makes hyphenating impossible.”

“We could just frankenstein our names together to create a new one we can share,” Jack suggests, sounding serious. Bitty has no idea if he is or not.

“Bitterman. Zittle. Fuck no, Jack,” Bitty is definitely serious. Jack laughs at his tone.

“What was it Ransom and Holster started to call us when we came out to the Haus? Zimbits?”

“Oh my gosh, yes,” Bitty laughs. “That’s our new last name, honey. We’ve found it,” Bitty grins and Jack laughs some more.

“We have plenty of time to decide on all the marriage-related issues, we don’t have to get ahead of ourselves now.”

“You’re right, you’re right. We’ll have to start making lists, once we officially get engaged.”

“Of course,” Jack nods.

“Oh my goodness.”

“What?”

“The cake,” Bitty says. “We’ll get to decide on a wedding cake.”

“We will,” Jack smiles with his brows pushed together ever so slightly.

“I’m so happy,” Bitty sighs.

“I’m glad. I was worried bringing this up to you might ruin it, but I was also too scared to go without bringing it up to you,” Jack says, biting down on his lip.

“Sweetheart, I am glad you brought it up to me. I probably would’ve been okay if you proposed without warning, too, but it’s definitely not ruined. It’s important to know we’re on the same page,” Bitty leans on Jack’s arm and Jack nods again, feeling assured.

The two walk, arm in arm, conversation drifting pleasantly between them. Their plans for the future may not be rock solid, but the foundation for a happy and fulfilled life together has most definitely been laid.

**Author's Note:**

> This got a sudden influx of kudos and a few more comments a couple weeks ago and i'm wondering if someone, like, recommended this or something?? if anyone knows pls hmu because i've always wanted to be on a reclist lol so if that's that case i'll implode. Maybe it's just a coincidence? to anyone who reads this and the fic thank yooouu!!


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